Publix Opinion (Dec 26, 1930)

: PUBLIX OPINION, WEEK OF DECEMBER 26TH, 1930 “Debunk the Ballyhoo” Manager Tells Trade With modern advertising soft pedalling selling ballyhoo behind an aura of quality expressed in copy, typography, and layout, motion picture advertisers have given up circus methods in everything but exploitation. Some still adhere religiously to milk bottle top tie-ups, and laundry heralds without once checking returns on their investment of time, energy, and sometimes money. The opinion expressed by business proposition—it is and al heads of Publix advertising department, and published from time to time in Publix Opinion, is that exploitation which does not definitely sell a fairly large number of theatre tickets is useless. That others in the industry are slowly accepting this principle, is witnessed by the following article “Debunk the Ballyhoo” which is reprinted from Motion Picture News. It was written by Jack O’Connell, manager of a non-Publix house in Toledo. The article follows. I think Barnum was wrong. At least, his philosophy wouldn’t apply to the present. Maybe there was one born every minute in his day, but the American public in 1930, as represented by millions of theatregoers, decidedly is not a bunch of saps. They know what they want, and the showman today has to have the goods if he wants to click. The press agent or producer who ballyhooed a lot but produced little had his day, but “them days is gone forever.” The fact that Susie Toots wears Toeless hose doesn’t send people rushing into the theatre to see her in her latest talking blurb nor does it increase the romantic appeal of the motion picture. Exploitation of the modern day lacks the punch of the old days simply because the day and age are further advanced and therefore more blase—Anna Held’s bath in a tub of milk on Broadway would only excite an arrest by the police today and would leave the wary editor cold with indifference. We all know the story of the boy who cried ‘‘Wolf’’ once too often—the wolf ate him up. So it is with modern exploitation. We shout and rant and rave and pore madly over dictionaries in search of new adjectives and phrases to describe our latest picture—Bigger and Better, Stupendous, Greatest Spectacle of All Time, etc., etc. The people come—they see— they hear—and then they walk away disappointed and chagrined because they were the victins of a well-planned campaign of hooey. Day by day in every way exploitation is getting weaker and weaker, not because the scribes and pamphleteers have lost their punch or have forgotten any of the tricks of their trade, but because they have very little to exploit and the public is wise to it. Sell Romance! There is too much commercialism in the motion picture industry, and that is the one real reason why exploitation today lacks force and selling power. Regardless of what producers have to say on the subject and in spite of their short-sightedness at times, the making and presentation of motion pictures is more than a cold OP 0+ O8-O-+ 0+ 0-0 O+8-O--0+-0-0-0-0-0--0-@-0--0+-o N i g otice! Prints of holiday trailers supplied to theatres by the Music Novelties Department are NOT to be returned to the Home Office, but to Lloyds Film Storage Corp., 161 Harris Ave., Long Island City, 208-1 0+ 010+ O01 + 0+-S +0+-O+8+-0+0+-O+0+O-0+-0-0+-e Ways must be an art. Which brings us to a worthy thought—the same genius and talent manifested in the creation of the motion picture must carry through to its presentation; the same halo of romance which must surround the really successful production at its inception must be evident in the art of -exploitations used to interest the movie-goer. I repeat, there is too much commercialism in this industry. We hear the chain theatre manager talk about merchandising his picture. Merchandising! You cannot merchandise motion picture entertainment any more than you can merchandise dreams, and the exhibitor or producer who works on this basis is doomed ultimately to dismal experiences. Theatre Has Fascination! Admitting that this is a highpowered age and that methods of yesterday have been relegated to the discard, the theatre has the same fascination today as it did in the days gone by. Remember back in the days of the old Home Town? The salesman used to say (and still does, in fact): ‘“‘Buy this picture; it has good exploitation possibilities.” What does he mean by that? Does he mean that simply because the picture shows the leading man eating Puffed Nuts breakfast food the exhibitor should rush out and tie up with some cereal company? The history of this business shows that the pictures that had the least to exploit from a commercial standpoint were the biggest business draws at the box-office. : What is exploitation, anyway. Is it building up the desire of the people to see something you haven’t got? Is it the old art of ballyhoo modernized? Or is it the honest attempt of publicity men to acquaint the public with worthwhile attractions? If it is not the latter then we had far better strike the word from our vocabulary and eliminate it from our industry. I think that the public is sick and tired of listening to and seeing the sad attempts of exploiteers —or should we call them racketeers?—to foist inferior products upon them. I think that the public is fully aware of the fact that the majority of the boys running aimlessly over the country trying to pep up dejected exhibitors are not skilled publicity men nor are they capable (with few exceptions) of creating any plan or idea that has not been worked to death by anyone who ever read the time worn gags in the press books. Get ’em Excited By this time I suppose some of your readers are asking: ‘Well then, if you know all about it, what ‘is exploitation?” The only answer I can give is: Getting the people who have the money to come to your show excited over something worth getting excited over. Creating a desire—building a romance around your play or your theatre—keeping away from realism—coloring your story more with the warm, inviting glow of a shaded lamp than with the stark nakedness of bright daylight. Building in the minds of those you wish to impress the spirit of fantasy—keeping your characters on the screen the shadowy forms they should be, not playing them up as divorced actors or actresses with their petty weaknesses or as the blatant, publicity-seeking ingenue —making your theatre a place where the weary work-a-day folks can come and dream. Divorcing from the minds of amusement seeks the commercial aspects of our business—that, my friends, is what I would call exploitation. eee O80 O10 O01 Or 10+ OOO 010+ O10 O10 Ore 3 B. O. HITS! Three big money-making pictures usher in the New ¢ Year on Broadway! “The Royal Family of Broadway,” with Fredric March and Ina Claire, opening at the Rivoli, Monday, Dec. 22, to the tune of smash box-office straing and rave reviews, assured that theatre of another long run attraction in the wake of “Morocco.” Ronald Colman opened at the Gaiety on Thursday, Dec. 18, in Frederick Lonsdale’s screen ortginal, “The Devil To Pay,” a United Artists’ Picture. The Sigmund Romberg musical stage success, “The New Moon,’’ which ran for more than a year on Broadway, returned as an MGM picture. Starring Lawence ‘Tibbett, Grace Moore and Adolphe Menjou. It opened at the Astor on Tuesday, Dec. 23. P-0-S +0-S-0-O-0 0+ + 0>-O-+ 0+ O--0+-O-0+-© -0+-0-0+0+ 0--O-0+0-0>S:0--O-8-O-8-S-0--0-S-0-O-0 i | | | : i i } ! POO 0+-0+0++ 0-00-01 0++ 0+-O+0+O+0+-0-0+-O-0--O+0+ FNAL BAN PUT ON SALACIOUS ADVERTISING Final warning on salacious advertising has been issued by Mr. Sam Katz to theatre, city, district and division managers. Advertising which goes beyond the code of ethics laid down by the Hays organization will absolutely not be tolerated, Mr. Katz states, and any violations will be construed as direct.disregard of Mr. Katz’ orders. Since Publix led the industry in placing a ban on off-color adverall the more seriousness tising, will attach to violations of this ban henceforth. Corroboration of the stand taken by Publix and Paramount by every other film and theatre organization, crystallized in the Hays code, makes it incumbent upon Publix theatres to adhere more rigidly than ever to their self-imposed regulations. In this Publix is joined by the entire industry, determined to outlaw salacious advertising once and for all. Not only will the Hays office constantly check all advertising, but each circuit will check advertising of its own thea tres and theatres of other circuits, in a cooperative drive against in decent publicity. Mr. Katz blasts the alibi which is usually offered for salacious advertising, pointing to the proven fact that it harms business far more than it stimulates it, and nullifies the increasingluy successful efforts of the industry against censorship and kindred handicaps. Limits in general tone set for advertising in Mr. Katz’ pronouncement are those of press book and manual copy, beyond which no advertisement may go. MR. FELD'S TOUR SHOWS MANPOWER DEVELOPMENT The splendid development of individual manpower all _ along the line, was one of the most striking impressions received by Milton H. Feld during his recent three weeks’ tour of Publix de luxe operations in the southern and western territory. Mr. Feld’s tour included Atlanta, New Orleans, Houston, Dallas, San Antonio, El Paso, Los Angeles, Denver and Kansas City. Renewing personal contacts after a lapse of time during which his duties kept him bound ta his desk at the Home Office, Mr. Feld was highly gratified at the mature growth and development of men whom he formerly knew as fledgeling showmen serving in subordinate capacities in theatres. Nearly all of them have now moved into executive posts and are fulfilling their duties with eminent capability. “I attended several meetings merely as a bystander,” declared Mr. Feld,” and I was agreeably surprised to note with what organized thought and thoroughness these men approached the daily problems of their theatres. The meetings were most comprehensive and covered every possible phase of theatre operation. Every man oughly alive to the importance of getting the maximum business out of his theatre. Costs Kept Low “In every town I found that Managers are doing their utmost to keep operating costs down. They all definitely realize that they are not playing a game but are in a serious business which requires the constant coordination and concentration of time, energy and effort if they are to show results. They have a keen flair for new ideas that can be turned into box-office aids and a real appreciation of the necessity for building up the strength of their shows.” Considerable thought is being expended, according to Mr. Feld, on the subject of livening up shows by means of local talent, amateur nights and contests for which attractive prizes are invariably promoted. “Country stores’ are effectively used in Pueblo, Cheyenne, Greeley, Grand Junction, Joplin and Springfield. At the Strand Theatre, Cheyenne, the operators went out and promoted five turkeys in a contest which was a life-saver at the box-office. The Paramount, Denver, tied into the local Atwater Kent contest for a personal appearance of the winner on the stage. Local radio acts are also being used there and elsewhere. Pueblo, Colorado Springs and other small towns are building up their shows with local talent, amateur nights, ete. SHOOS MONDAY BLUES “Country Store Night’ at the Oxford, Plainfield, N. J., held on the usual Monday off-night, has considerably bolstered receipts. Promoted merchandise from local dealers is awarded to holders of lucky tickets. U. L. Mintz manages the Oxford. OAKIE K.0O’s. EM A side-splitting box-office knockout of a nicture is guaranteed by Arch Reeve for Jack Oakie’s latest and funniest pic ture, ‘'The Gang Buster.” Telegram, sent to S. R. Kent, laud ing this rib-tickling comedy, is reproduced below. “Laughs told the story of a great Oakie comedy last night when “The Gang Buster” was previewed at Figueroa Theatre, Los Angeles, Jack Oakie as cocky young country boy selling life insurance among the gangsters gives most hilarious per formance of career. “Laughs are built on firm structure of a really fascinating plot which would hold audience without the succession of original gags and super-funny dialogue that make “The Gang Buster” an outstanding comedy. “Supporting players and Edward Sutherland's direction splendid. “The Gang Buster” has great advertising and ex ploitation possibilities and picture should get mighty high grosses.” seemed to be on his toes and thor-| COIN PRODUCT ASSURES BIG YEAR IN ’31 (Continued from page Three) and Marlene Dietrich, “Gang Buster,’’ with Jack Oakie; “No Limit,” with Clara Bow, Harry Green and Stuart Erwin; and “Royal Family,” with Fredric March, Ina Claire, Mary Brian. Outstanding releases of pictures from other companies for this month, all of which have been seen and pronounced by Home Office executives as of unusual strength, include the following. METRO. “Reducing’—Dressler and Moran; ‘Bachelor Father,’— Marion Davies; “New Moon’— Lawrence Tibbett and Grace Moore; “Inspiration’—Greta GarOo. FOX. ‘Man Who Came Back” —Gaynor and Farrel, UNIVERSAL. “Cohens and Kellys in Africa,” and “Free Love,’’—Genevieve Tobin, Conrad Nagel. COLUMBIA, “Dirigible’—Jack Holt, Ralph Graves; “Criminal Code’”’—Walter Huston; “Charlie’s Aunt’’—Charlie Ruggles. R. K. O. “Beau Ideal” sequel to Beau Geste; ‘‘Royal Bed’’— Lowell Sherman. PATHE. “Painted Desert’’— William Boyd. UNITED ARTISTS. “One Heayenly Night’’—Evelyn Laye; “Deyil To Pay”’—Ronald Colman. Paramount February Releases For February, Paramount again tops the list with five record wreckers, They are ‘Scandal Sheet” with George Bancroft; “Fighting Caravans” with Cooper, Damita, Torrence, Marshall, Kohler, Pallette; ‘Stolen Heaven’’ with Nancy Carrol; ‘Ladies Man” with William Powell; “Finn and Hattie Abroad’ with Leon Errol and Mitzi Green. Outstanding releases for February from other companies include R. K. O. ‘Cimmaron,” the Edna Ferber best seller story. FOX. “Once A Sinner’ with Dorothy Mackail; “Squadron” with Charles Farrel; ‘Connecticut Yankee’ with Will Rogers. PATHE. ‘“Beyond Victory” with Helen Twelvetress and William Boyd; ‘“Rebound” with Ann Hardins: “Verbanque” with Constance Bennett. UNIVERSAL. “Dracula” the famous Broadway hit; ‘‘Resurrection” with John Boles and Lupe Velez. FIRST NATIONAL. “‘Illicit’”’? reported as a very strong and dramatic picture. %A Wow!” Two words sum up the critics’ consensus on ‘The Royal Family of Broadway,” Paramount smash with Ina Claire, Fredric March, Mary Brian and Henrietta Crosman, which had a $5.50 opening at the Rivoli on Broadway, Monday night, Dec. 22nd, and began what looks like a record run the following morning. All of the stars except Miss Brian appeared at the premiere in person, and the tremendous applause they evoked is duplicated at the end of every showing 6f the picture! Youll know them as _ the Royal Family of the Boxoffice! O° SOF SOD B S104 S182 SOOO SO OO OO OO O81 18S 18 18-81-00 : | ! : : i : C4 : 4 ! ; i 4 ODO O99 09-2 HD 10+ 0+ OO 10+ 10-18 Osee